Over the years, Bill Walters ‘72 would thumb through the latest issue of the Ball State Alumni magazine, feeling a swell of pride for his alma mater before setting it aside to resume his busy career in corporate advertising. “I would get the magazine, read a couple articles, and then set it aside. I think Ball State probably spent more on sending those magazines than I was giving back at the time,” he chuckled. 

After attending military high school for three years, Bill was unsure of where he wanted to attend college. “My cousin had gone to Ball State, so that inspired me to attend,” he said. Drawn to business and advertising, Bill took various courses before focusing on advertising during his senior year. Feeling well-prepared by his Ball State education, Bill applied to 15 advertising agencies and soon after got a job. Eventually, he would hold positions at MTV, Bravo, and National Geographic. “They were pretty exciting places to work. I always seemed to work in a team environment with young professionals around me or reporting to me. They always told me I was their mentor,” Bill said. 

In 2018, Bill retired after a successful forty-year career. What he didn’t know at the time is that he would soon be investing his expertise, knowledge, and wisdom back into a place that helped him get his start. “About two years ago, I picked up the magazine like I have done all of these years. This particular magazine issue was looking for mentors. I reached out to Sue Godfrey, [Director of Alumni Engagement, Mentoring Programs], and the rest is history,” Bill said.  

In a short time, Bill was slated to be a guest speaker in a CCIM Classroom Conversation and had volunteered to be a Top 100 mentor for the 2023 cohort. He was paired with a student majoring in Media with a concentration in production. “I spoke with my first mentee recently. She was an intern for CNN while she was in school, and then she got a job at CNN in Atlanta. She has worked there for a little over a year I believe. And she’s doing really well for herself.”  

His mentee’s success didn’t happen by chance.

“The foundation for her success didn’t happen in the last 3 months. It started in high school, leading to everything she achieved at Ball State, which led to her internship. We’ve had some interesting conversations about networking and how to navigate CNN. I am thrilled that my experience can help, even just a little sometimes,” Bill shared. 

When the invitation arose to participate again in the Top 100 mentoring program, he didn’t hesitate. Bill was hooked. Not only did he agree to participate as a mentor, but he also volunteered to be a judge for the 2024 applications. “I was assigned to judge 30 different applications. When I started looking at each one of these applications, the first two or three were fabulous, and then I would read the next 5 or 10, and they were fabulous. By the time I finished, I had to go back and break down section after section. These students are just remarkable.” 

Now, Bill is mentoring another student whom he was able to meet at the Top 100 award reception held on campus in April 2024. Well-versed in interview preparation, Bill offered to help his mentee after learning about a job she was applying for. “About four days after the reception, we were on a Zoom call doing a mock interview. She felt really confident about that preparation. She is a really smart student. She asked the right questions, and not only did she feel good, but I felt good because it actually helped her,” he shared.

Many years had passed since Bill had been back on campus. To mark the occasion, a campus tour was arranged for Bill, his wife, and two daughters, who had also joined him at the awards reception. “We were impressed with the look of the campus, which had changed so much since I was a student, as well as the professionalism of the campus and the people we met.  I am immensely happy I got back to Ball State. It’s a first-class university.”  

Bill plans to continue serving as a mentor, offering his time and experience to help Ball State students transition from their coursework to their careers. “These students are on the beginning path of their careers, and they’re smart as can be. I’m glad I able to help them navigate their journey.”